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Forensic science + midterm exam
Importance of scientific evidence in criminal investigation
The Role of Forensic Sciences in Criminal and civil cases
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The Department of Justice says, "States began passing laws requiring offenders convicted of certain offenses to provide DNA samples. " That DNA evidence can help convict someone of a crime and it helps to uncover more things about the crime itself. Investigators have been using forensic science to help them solve cases since before the 90 's, mostly fingerprints that were found at the crime scenes and on the victims (O 'Brien). DNA evidence has solved countless cases including ones that happened over a prolonged period of time because of the technological advancements there is
In this paper I will be comparing contrasting two various aspects of forensic sciences used, and talking about the different tactics used to identify suspects; as well as the contrasts between the two methods. The man I will be talking about is John Wayne Gacy. The two methods I will be going over are, Finger print DNA and Forensic toxicology. These two are very similar, but made substantial differences in the evidence in his case. John Wayne Gacy was a murderer from Chicago, Illinois.
Ever since Sherlock Holmes, police and prosecutors have solved cases by confessions or eyewitness accounts, but recently they started solving cases from the forensic evidence found. In the passage, “Forensic Science: Evidence, Clues, and Investigation” by Andrea Campbell, forensic evidence is explained to be the most important evidence to present at trial. Forensic evidence are things like “fingerprints, body fluids, and bullets” (paragraph one). Forensic evidence is the evidence that’s found at the scene of a crime. In paragraph two, it says, “after police have secured the site, criminal investigators collect physical evidence.
Evidence is vital for any crime scene. No matter the case, police need to be carefully precise, speedy, and methodical to be able to collect this crucial evidence. With the very well handled cases out there, some slip through the cracks. Evidence that is linked to a crime can be contaminated, destroyed, or forgotten about which leads to finding a suspect to be hard. One example of this happening is the infamous murder case of JonBenet Ramsey.
Forensic science has been an aid to the law enforcement community for years now. It has solved cases that were unsolved years before DNA and science started to play a role with cases and law enforcement. The case of Samuel Reeves and James Layne was unsolved in the year 1989, this was considered a cold case because it had been years since they found who the murderer was. This case was considered a crime of passion, where it first started off by kissing and having the same attraction towards each other, but when James Layne started to get aggressive and not respecting Reeves decision to not have sex, that was when things got hectic. Forensic science helped this case by the use of fingerprints, they found the fingerprints in a bottle, and when
A positive aspect of this is that forensic scientists only need a small amount of a sample to get the results they need (“Forensic Science” 12). These samples can come from many other forms of identification other than fingerprints and bloodstains. A few moderate examples include strands of hair, tiny beads of sweat, and a saliva specimen (“Forensic Science” 12). Forensic Science Technicians stated that “crime scene investigators may use tweezers, black lights, and specialized kits to identify and collect evidence.” They also stated that examining autopsies prove to be beneficial in a crime investigation (“Forensic Science Technicians”
Evidence found at the place of the crime can give investigators clues to who committed the crime. For example, investigators can find footprints, fingerprints, or even the murder weapon. In fact, a hatchet was found on property, which detectives believe is the murder weapon(Allard,2013). This is important because the hatchet gives clues to who committed the crimes.
Fingerprinting a suspect in a murder case can have a positive affect on many cases and in this case it did. During the murder trial there were a lot of speculation out there about who killed
There is powerful verification that fingerprints aren’t foolproof. In “ Forensic Science: Evidence, Clues, and Investigation” by Andrea Campbell, she gives a strong explanation of how forensic science plays a vital role in solving criminal cases. Campbell has shown that forensic evidence is unquestionably the most dominant type of evidence to present at a trial. In the same way, “...unless the criminals take something away from the crime scene, hard evidence does not leave.
My thoughts Forensic science is used everywhere. It can be used to arrest and convict someone of a crime. Before watching The Real CSI video, I thought using fingerprints and DNA will get you 100% accurate results. Throughout the video my thoughts about the subject began to change.
On the other hand, discrepancies or weaknesses in the forensic analysis may raise reasonable doubt and favor the defendant (Bolton-King, 2016). Conclusion: Reliability and validity are critical considerations in forensic firearm examination, influencing the accuracy and credibility of forensic evidence presented in legal proceedings. Despite its importance, the field of forensic firearm identification has faced criticism regarding its scientific foundation. Skeptics argue that traditional methods lack the rigor and standardization necessary to be considered truly scientific. However, dismissing forensic firearm examination entirely would not only disregard its historical significance but also deprive the legal system of a valuable tool in investigating firearm-related crimes.
Doing this, helpws protect the evidence and prevent cross contamination. The crime scene is the physical area where a crime is thought to of occurred and where the evidence of the said crime is thought to reside. Vital evidence to a case, can be found at a crime scene. This includes, fingerprints, DNA, foot prints, bullets, bullet casings, fibers, etc. It is important to determine if a crime has in fact been committed, if so, the officer must initiate enforcement action, by arresting or pursuing the offender or dispatching apprehension information.
Science has come a long way over the years. It has helped countless every day struggles and cure diseases most commonly found. What you don’t hear about however is the advancement of forensic science. Forensic science has helped solve countless cases of murder, rape, and sexual assault. In the case of John Joubert, it helped solve the murders of three young boys with one small piece of evidence that linked him directly to the crime.
Every day forensic investigators use tactics just like the ones that were discussed throughout the paper. It’s more than just looking for an admission of guilt, and interrogating potential suspects until they
● It can be used to determine if a person is guilty or not. The evidence from forensic can be enough to put a person into prison. ● It can be used to solve old unsolved cases if there is still DNA available from that case. ● Help identify victims in big disasters where the body of the person can not physically be easily
